Category Archives: EHF News

The Race For Olympic Qualification Tournament Slots (UPDATE 24 Jan)

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The IHF recently posted an article highlighting the status of Olympic Qualification and specifically, the Olympic Qualification Tournaments that will take place 17-19 April.

It’s kind of complicated as to how the dominoes fall, so I’ve created a chart (above) that shows which nations could be placed in each tournament based on how high each nation will place at either the European or African Championships which are both ongoing.

A few notes of explanation.

Hierarchy of Qualification

There are several ways to qualify for the Olympics, but a nation can only qualify once and there is a hierarchy to that qualification.

  1. Host Nation (Japan)
  2. World Champion (Denmark)
  3. Continental Champion
    1. Asia (Bahrain)
    2. Pan America (Argentina)
    3. Africa (Egypt or Tunisia)
    4. Europe (Spain or Croatia)
  4. Olympic Qualification Tourney (6 nations from 3 Tourneys)
    1. Seeded based on WC places 2-7
      • 2nd (Norway)
      • 3rd (France)
      • 4th (Germany)
      • 5th (Sweden)
      • 6th (Croatia)
      • 7th (Spain)
      • 8th – Egypt
      • 9th – Brazil
    2. Seeded based on 2nd or 3rd at Continental Championship

So with this hierarchy, there is a domino effect. As an example if Norway were to win the European Championship they will qualify as a continental champion and they will be removed from the Olympic Qualification Tourney seeding. And, then every nation on the list would move up one spot and slide over to another tournament based on the arrows indicated.

2020 African Championships

Egypt and Tunisia will play in the gold medal match and Angola and Algeria will play for Bronze on Sunday, 26 January.

Africa was the 2nd best continent at the 2019 World Championships so Africa has 2 slots in the Olympic Qualification Tournaments. Egypt was also the 8th place team at the World Championships, so if they lose to Tunisia on Sunday they will secure an OQT slot through that path. If that happens Africa will have 3 nations qualifying for an OQT. Tunisia, will automatically qualify, Egypt will be in Tourney #1 and then Angola and Algeria will have the Africa 2 and Africa 3 slots. However if Egypt wins Tunisia will be Africa 2 and the winner of the Angola-Algeria match will be Africa 3.

2020 European Championships

Thinks are a lot more clear now with the European Championships.

Only 1 Domino: With Croatia being the 6th place team at the last world championships and Spain being 7th there’s only 2 possible outcomes. Either Spain or Croatia will automatically qualify for the Olympics and the loser will be slotted into Tournament #2.

Europe 2 and Europe 3 slots are now set

  • Slovenia will finish either 3rd or 4th and has secured the Europe 2 slot
  • Portugal will finish either 5th or 6th and has secured the Europe 3 slot.

Brazil’s Situation

Brazil will qualify for Tournament #1 if Egypt wins the African Championship

Easy – Peasy Tournament #1

As usual, on paper, Tournament #1 is the place to be as it will only have 1 European nation fighting for 2 slots. France would surely have preferred for Norway to win the title. Now they will face their new nemesis, Portugal and the loser of Spain-Croatia. Nothing against Chile and S. Korea, but they just aren’t at the level of those sides.

I will update this article as more results become known.

2020 Men’s European Handball Championship “Spoiler Free” Links, Match Odds and Predictions (Friday, 24 Jan)

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Can Domagoj Duvnjak and the Croatian defense slow down Sander Sagosen and Norway? Yes, I think they can.

The 2020 Men’s European Handball Championship Semifinals are today. Here are the video links, odds and some predictions for those matches.

How to Watch Spoiler Free: Link

Friday, 24 January
All Times Local (CET) / US ET is -6 hrs)
Odds courtesy of 10Bet <Open an account>

EHF Preview of today’s matches:
– Slovenia vs Spain: Link
– Norway vs Croatia: Link

Both semifinal matches can be seen live on Free TV in the the U.S. on beIN Sports XTRA. (How to watch) Check it out. I like ehfTV, but I personally get a better viewing experience with beIN Sports XTRA. The picture quality is better and it’s more reliable than the web stream.

Both matches will also be rebroadcast in prime time on the beIN Sports Network (regular TV) at 7:00 PM (US ET) and 8:30 PM (US ET)

18:00 Norway (-2) vs Croatia
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)

20:30 Spain (-3) vs Slovenia
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)

Betting Predictions

For this tournament we’ve doing some betting predictions using an imaginary starting bankroll of a 1,000 Euros. Joining me will be professional handball bettor, Samo Košmerl, from Slovenia.

Odds are from the 10 Bet Sportsbook <Open an account>

John’s Pick(s):
– Current Bankroll: 1,010.89 Euros
– Wednesday’s Result:   Sweden (-1.5) vs Iceland 1.86/-115; Bet 100 Euros to win 86.95; Result: Win 86.95 Euros as Sweden won 32-25
– Today’s Pick: Norway’s Sander Sagosen, Under 6.5 goals; (2.1, +210); Bet 100 Euros to win 110. Norway has been on a roll and totally dominated Main Round Group II, but Croatia will be a tougher opponent than they’ve faced so far. Croatia is a veteran side and plays great defense. I think this will be a low scoring game and Croatia will keep Sagosen in check.

Samo’s Pick(s):
– Current Bankroll: 1695.25 Euros
– Wednesday’s Results: Portugal to win vs Hungary; 1.79/-133 Bet 100 Euros to win 75.82 ; Win 75.82 as Portugal won the match 34-26.
– Today’s Pick: Norway’s Goran Johannessen Total Goals – Over 3.5@ (2.00 /+100); Bet 100 Euros to win 100; Johannessen will be very important for Norway today. Without Rod in attack they will need Reinkind in great form, but there is also Johannessen who has great shot and won’t hesitate to shoot as well. I think we will see big game from him today.

2020 Men’s European Handball Championship “Spoiler Free” Links, Match Odds and Predictions (Wednesday, 22 Jan)

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Roland Mikler and Hungary need a win vs Portugal to still have a chance at making the semifinals.

Main Round play at the 2020 Men’s European Handball Championships concluded today. Here are the video links, odds and some predictions for those matches.

How to Watch Spoiler Free: Link

Wednesday, 22 January
All Times Local (CET) / US ET is -6 hrs)
Odds courtesy of 10Bet <Open an account>

EHF Preview of day’s matches: Group I Group II

Main Round Group I (Vienna, Austria)

Current Standings

16:00 Spain (-1) vs Croatia
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)

18:15 Belarus vs Austria (-0.5)
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)

20:30 Germany (-5) vs Czech Republic
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)

The Match of the Day in Group I will be the first match between Spain and Croatia. The winner here will top the Group and will likely avoid a tougher semifinal vs Norway. Belarus and Austria will then play a match to determine 4th place in the Group. At first glance this match appears meaningless, but depending on the results of the other Group and the Semifinals the winner could actually secure a slot to an Olympic Qualification Tournament. The day closes out with a match between Germany and the Czech Republic which is truly just for pride.

Current Standings

All 3 matches in this Group can be seen on Free TV in the the U.S. on beIN Sports XTRA. (How to watch) Check it out. I like ehfTV, but I personally get a better viewing experience with beIN Sports XTRA. The picture quality is better and it’s more reliable than the web stream.

16:00 Hungary vs Portugal (-1)
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)

18:15 Norway (-1.5) vs Slovenia
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)

20:30 Sweden (-1) vs Iceland
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)

All three matches in this Group will impact the standings and which nations will secure a semifinal berth and/or a slot in an Olympic Qualification Tournament. In the first match of the day, Hungary needs a win to keep it’s semifinal chances alive. Portugal has no chance for a semifinal, but they still have good chances for 3rd place and a likely slot in an Olympic Qualification Tournament. The importance of the second match will hinge on what Hungary does in the first game. If Hungary beats Portugal, Slovenia will be in a must win situation to make the semifinals. But, even if Hungary loses, Slovenia will still be interested in winning and securing the top spot in the Group. The final match of the day between Iceland and Sweden will impact the which nations get the “backup” Olympic Qualification slot. An Iceland win will put Iceland or Portugal in that slot, while a Swedish win will give that backup slot to the winner of Belarus – Austria in the other group.

For all the possible scenarios click here: Link

Betting Predictions

For this tournament we’re doing some betting predictions using an imaginary starting bankroll of a 1,000 Euros. Joining me will be professional handball bettor, Samo Košmerl, from Slovenia.

Odds are from the 10 Bet Sportsbook <Open an account>

John’s Pick(s):
– Current Bankroll: 923.94 Euros
– Yesterday’s Result:   Norway (-3) vs Iceland 1.73/-135; Bet 100 Euros to win 74.07; Push, as a last second Iceland goal was scored for a 31-28 Norway win.
– Today’s Pick: Sweden (-1.5) vs Iceland 1.86/-115; Bet 100 Euros to win 86.95; Result: Back to back matches will take more of a toll on Iceland and Sweden will look to finish strong in front of the home crowd.

Samo’s Pick(s):
– Current Bankroll: 1619.43 Euros
– Yesterday’s Results: Slovenia (-1.5) vs Portugal; 1.79/-133; Bet 100 Euros to win 75.82; Win 75.82 as Slovenia won the match 29-24.
– Today’s Pick: Money Line Bet: Portugal to win vs Hungary; 1.79/-133 Bet 100 Euros to win 75.82; Hungary were still playing against Sweden just 18-19 hours ago. Awful scheduling and a big advantage for Portugal. Both are very motivated, but for me Portugal is the better team, with a lot of creativity in attack. Hungary’s confidence is hurt and I don’t think they will recover in such little time.

EHF EURO 2020 Main Round Group II Scenarios (UPDATE)

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The final day of Main Round Group play for 2020 European Men’s Handball Championships is tomorrow and there are multiple scenarios impacting both the semifinals and slots for Olympic Qualification Tournaments. Here are the 27 top level scenarios based on the 3 matches to be played.

The first match of the day is Portugal vs Hungary and the following 3 charts reflect the 3 outcomes of that match (Portugal Win; Hungary Win and Draw). Then based on the outcome of that match 2 of the 3 big charts are eliminated. The 2nd match is Norway vs Slovenia and based on that match’s result 6 more accounts are eliminated. And, then for the final match there are only 3 possibilities left.

A few notes on semifinal qualification and slots for Olympic Qualification Tournaments

  • Norway and Slovenia have qualified for the semifinals
  • Europe has 2 slots for Olympic Qualification Tournaments. Slovenia, Hungary, Portugal, Iceland are eligible for these slots from Group II; Belarus and Austria are eligible in Group I.
  • Croatia, Spain and German (Group I) and Norway and Sweden (Group II) are not eligible for these slots since they already have earned slots from the World Championships
  • Whoever qualifies for the semifinals (Slovenia or Hungary) will receive the Europe 2 slot if they don’t win the tournament. The Europe 3 slot will then go the Main Round Group II team that finishes 3rd. (Germany will finish 3rd in Main Round Group I)
  • If Slovenia wins the European Championship the Europe 2 slot will go the Main Round Group II team that finishes 3rd (Portugal). The Europe 3 slot will then likely be awarded to the Main Round Group II team that finishes 4th (Hungary). This is likely because the 4th place teams in Main Round Group I (either Belarus or Austria) are way behind in goal differential. If, however, Sweden places 4th in Main Round Group II, the winner of the Belarus-Austria will secure the Europe 3 slot.
  • In the chart above the nation in Green will receive either the Europe 2 or Europe 3 slot. If Slovenia wins the Championship, the nation in Blue will receive the Europe 3 slot. If Sweden finishes 4th (depicted in Orange) than either Belarus or Austria will get the Europe 3 slot.
  • More detail on Olympic Qualification Tournaments: Link
  • Details for 3 team ties are provided below.

2020 Men’s European Handball Championship “Spoiler Free” Links, Match Odds and Predictions (Tuesday, 21 Jan)

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Norway takes on Iceland in Main Round Group II

The 2020 Men’s European Handball Championships continues today with the first matches of Main Round Group II. Here are the video links, odds and some predictions for those matches.

How to Watch Spoiler Free: Link

Friday, 16 January
All Times Local (CET) / US ET is -6 hrs)
Odds courtesy of 10Bet <Open an account>

EHF Preview of day’s matches: Link

Main Round Group II (Malmo, Sweden)

Current Standings

All 3 matches can be seen on Free TV in the the U.S. on beIN Sports XTRA. (How to watch) Check it out. I like ehfTV, but I personally get a better viewing experience with beIN Sports XTRA. The picture quality is better and it’s more reliable than the web stream.

16:00 Slovenia (-1.5) vs Portugal
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)

18:15 Norway (-3) vs Iceland
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)

20:30 Sweden (-0.5) vs Hungary
Match Video (On Demad): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)

You gotta love Main Round Group II and the dog fight it has become. Norway leads the group and seems to be on a glide path to qualification. Sweden has been disappointing and has been eliminated from semifinal contention. But, the other 4 teams (Slovenia, Hungary, Portugal and Iceland)? They’ve been up and down and these 2 days of back to back games are going to be really interesting.

Betting Predictions

For this tournament we’re doing some betting predictions using an imaginary starting bankroll of a 1,000 Euros. Joining me will be professional handball bettor, Samo Košmerl, from Slovenia.

Odds are from the 10 Bet Sportsbook <Open an account>

John’s Pick(s):
– Current Bankroll: 923.94 Euros
– Yesterday’s Result: Austria’s Nikola Bilyk (Under 5.5 goals) 1.80/-125; Bet 100 Euros to win 80 ; Won 80 Euros as Bilyk scored 5 goals in the match.
– Today’s Pick: Norway (-3) vs Iceland 1.73/-135; Bet 100 Euros to win 74.07; This match should be a total track meet and in the end, I don’t think Iceland has enough depth to keep up for 60 minutes. I’m even tempted to go with an alternative spread with a blowout win, but I’ve learned my lesson and will just go with the conservative -3 goals.

Samo’s Pick(s):
– Current Bankroll: 1,543.61 Euros
– Yesterday’s Results: Croatia vs Czech Republic (over 52.5); 1.8/-125; Bet 100 Euros to win 80 Euros . Lost 80 Euros as Croatia won the low scoring match 22-21.
– Today’s Pick: Slovenia (-1.5) vs Portugal; 1.79/-133; Bet 100 Euros to win 75.82; I can’t wait for this match. Two teams with creative offenses in a super important match for both teams. I think Slovenia has the slightly better team and they are a lot more experienced than Portugal. These advantage should be crucial today.

The Race for Olympic Qualification Tournament Slots

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Current Status (22 Jan 2020)

The IHF recently posted an article highlighting the status of Olympic Qualification and specifically, the Olympic Qualification Tournaments that will take place 17-19 April.

It’s kind of complicated as to how the dominoes fall, so I’ve created a chart (above) that shows which nations could be placed in each tournament based on how high each nation will place at either the European or African Championships which are both ongoing.

A few notes of explanation.

Hierarchy of Qualification

There are several ways to qualify for the Olympics, but a nation can only qualify once and there is a hierarchy to that qualification.

  1. Host Nation (Japan)
  2. World Champion (Denmark)
  3. Continental Champion
    1. Asia (Bahrain)
    2. Pan America (Argentina)
    3. Africa (Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Angola)
    4. Europe (Spain, Croatia, Norway or Slovenia)
  4. Olympic Qualification Tourney (6 nations from 3 Tourneys)
    1. Seeded based on WC places 2-7
      • 2nd (Norway)
      • 3rd (France)
      • 4th (Germany)
      • 5th (Sweden)
      • 6th (Croatia)
      • 7th (Spain)
      • 8th – Egypt
      • 9th – Brazil
    2. Seeded based on 2nd or 3rd at Continental Championship

So with this hierarchy, there is a domino effect. As an example if Norway were to win the European Championship they will qualify as a continental champion and they will be removed from the Olympic Qualification Tourney seeding. And, then every nation on the list would move up one spot and slide over to another tournament based on the arrows indicated.

2020 African Championships

Four nations (Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Angola) have already qualified for the semifinals. On Wednesday, 22 January they will play for semifinal seeding. On Friday, 24 January the semifinals will be played and on Sunday, 26 January the Finals will be played.

Africa was the 2nd best continent at the 2019 World Championships so Africa has 2 slots in the Olympic Qualification Tournaments. Egypt was also the 8th place team at the World Championships, so they might be in a position to secure an OQT slot through that path. But, that path will only open up if Norway, Croatia or Spain win the European Championships. If that happens, it’s possible that Africa could end up with 3 nations qualifying for an OQT. One scenario would be Tunisia winning the title and qualifying automatically, Egypt finishing second (securing the WC slot) and then Angola and Algeria securing the Africa 2 and Africa 3 slots.

2020 European Championships

A lot is still up in the air with the European Championships. I’ll try and break down some of the key scenarios.

Dominoes or No Dominoes: 3 of the 12 nations still playing (Norway, Croatia and Spain) have WC slots and if they win the title they will move those dominoes. 4 nations in Main Round Group II (Slovenia, Hungary, Portugal and Iceland) do not have a WC slot and if one of these nations wins the title there will be no dominoes. (Sorry Egypt; Sorry Brazil)

What different places (final ranking) could secure the Europe 2 and Europe 3 slots? You might think this would be a simple determination, but there are actually several possibilities.

  • 2nd, 3rd or 4th place: Slovenia could secure the Europe 2 position by qualifying for the semifinals and then failing to win the championship
  • 5th/6th place: Portugal has secured the Europe 2 or Europe 3 position by finishing 3rd in Main Round Group II. They will play Germany for 5th place, but since German has a WC slot the match result wouldn’t matter
  • 7th/8th place: If Slovenia wins the title then the Europe 3 slot will go to the 7th place team. Since the 7th place team, Sweden, has already qualified for an OQT via the World Championship, the next ranked team (Austria) will get a slot as Europe 3.

Brazil’s Situation

Brazil will qualify for OQT #1 if both of these events occur
– Norway, Croatia or Spain win the European Championship
– Egypt wins the African Championship

And, both of these events are quite possible so they will likely be doing some scoreboard watching on Sunday

Easy – Peasy Tournament #1

As usual, on paper, Tournament #1 is the place to be as it will only have 1 or 2 European nations fighting for 2 slots. France will surely be cheering on Norway to win the title so they can slide into that cup cake tourney. Seriously, here’s a possible tourney 2 lineup: France, Spain, Tunisia, Portugal. Nothing against Chile and S. Korea, but they just aren’t at the level of those side.

I will update this article as more results become known.

2020 Men’s European Handball Championship “Spoiler Free” Links, Match Odds and Predictions (Monday, 20 Jan)

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Spain looks to confirm their place in the Semifinals today with a win or a draw vs Belarus.

The 2020 Men’s European Handball Championships continues today with matches main Main Round Group I. Here are the video links, odds and some predictions for those matches.

How to Watch Spoiler Free: Link

Thursday, 16 January
All Times Local (CET) / US ET is -6 hrs)
Odds courtesy of 10Bet <Open an account>

EHF Preview of day’s matches: Link

Main Round Group I (Vienna, Austria)

Current Standings

16:00 Croatia (-3) vs Czech Republic
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)

18:15 Spain (-5.5) vs Belarus
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)

20:30 Germany (-3) vs Austria
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)

Main Round Group I continues, but after Croatia’s victory over German on Saturday there’s not a whole lot of drama left. Croatia has already qualified for the semifinals and Spain can join them with a win or draw vs Belarus. In fact, Belarus is the only team remaining with a “realistic” chance of taking Spain’s place. All they need to do is upset Spain, beat Austria in their final match and get Croatia to beat Spain. Not easy, but easier than Germany’s path which requires those things to happen and for Belarus to beat Spain by 7.

In short, the remaining drama is mostly waiting for the Croatia-Spain match on Wednesday to determine who will finish first and likely avoid Norway in a semifinal. The only other side drama will be the battle for the 2 Olympic Qualification slots. The nations in Main Round Group I that need a slot (Austria, the Czech Republic and Belarus) will likely need to take 3rd in the group to compete with the nations in Main Round Group II that need an Olympic slot (Slovenia, Hungary, Iceland and Portugal). Those nations seem poised to likely finish 2nd and 3rd, meaning that a 3rd place showing in Group I would set up a 5th place match for the last Euro placement qualifying slot.

Betting Predictions

For this tournament we’re doing some betting predictions using an imaginary starting bankroll of a 1,000 Euros. Joining me will be professional handball bettor, Samo Košmerl, from Slovenia.

Odds are from the 10 Bet Sportsbook <Open an account>

John’s Pick(s):
– Current Bankroll: 843.94 Euros
– Yesterday’s Result: Money Line bet: Iceland (to win) vs Portugal 2.70/+170; Bet 100 Euros to win 170; Won 170 Euros as Iceland beat Portugal 28-25
– Today’s Pick: Austria’s Nikola Bilyk (Under 5.5 goals) 1.80/-125; Bet 100 Euros to win 80; Bilyk scored 6 goals or more against weaker opposition, but managed only 3 goals against Spain and Croatia. Germany has little chance of making the semifinals, but they will stay play hard on defense and make it tough for Bilyk to score.

Samo’s Pick(s):
– Current Bankroll: 1,623.61 Euros
– Yesterday’s Results:
Sweden(+4) vs Norway (-119/1.84); Bet 100 Euros to win 84: Won 84 Euros as Sweden lost by 3, 23-20
– Today’s Pick: Croatia vs Czech Republic (over 52.5); 1.8/-125; Bet 100 Euros to win 80 Euros; Absolutely meaningless game for Croatia today against the Czech Republic. Coach Červar will look to avoid injuries and rest key players… But, they still have just 16 players available, so there is no B team that can play today. This will mean a lot more playing time for players like Šarac and Matanović. The over/under goal line looks a bit low for match like that.

Handball Halls in Europe have me Singing “Take Me Home, Country Roads…”: And, Now there’s actually Handball in West Virginia

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Almost, heaven, West Virginia. And, now home to the #3 college handball team in the country.

I’ve always been amused with the adoption of American arena anthems at European handball venues. First it was “Sweet Caroline” and then little by little “Take Me Home, Country Roads” has gotten more airplay. I first heard it during a 2017 Kielce Champions League match and wrote this whimsical post: Link

Now it seems like it’s being played during every match at the European Championships. So much that it’s got me humming around. Yes, when my wife asked me why on earth I was singing an old John Denver tune my honest reply was, “Because I’ve been watching so much handball.”

What’s funny, is that handball is now actually being played at West Virginia University (WVU), where logically, the song first became a sporting anthem. It’s played at every American football game there and for most other sports as well.

The WVU handball side is even currently ranked as the #3 college program in the country. I doubt, though, that “Take Me Home, Country Roads” has ever rang out a handball match yet. The WVU roster is composed entirely of Middle East students who likely aren’t well versed in WVU traditions. But, maybe since the song is now a handball tradition it will get some air play.

Why not? The guy that wrote the song had never stepped foot in West Virginia prior to writing it. I’m thinking 99% of the fans in Malmo, Vienna and other venues have never visited the state. The song is clearly a state of mind, not a state of residency. But, for sure these guys now have more claim to it then any other handball fans or players in the world.

West Virginia Handball
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Instagram

2020 Men’s European Handball Championship “Spoiler Free” Links, Match Odds and Predictions (Sunday, 19 Jan)

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Is Portugal really on a path to the Semifinals? Or, are they due for a letdown? (I think they are due)

The 2020 Men’s European Handball Championships continues today with three matches from Main Round Group II. Here are the video links, odds and some predictions for those matches.

How to Watch Spoiler Free: Link

Sunday, 19 January
All Times Local (CET) / US ET is -6 hrs)
Odds courtesy of 10Bet <Open an account>

EHF Preview of day’s matches: Link

Main Round Group II (Malmo, Sweden)

Current Standings

14:00 Portugal (-1.5) vs Iceland
Match Video (On Deman): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)
(Also available on beIN Sports XTRA: Link)

16:15 Slovenia (-3.5) vs Hungary
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)

18:30 Norway (-3) vs Sweden
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)
(Also available on beIN Sports XTRA: Link)

Main Round Group I continues with some interesting contests. First up is Portugal vs Iceland. Fresh off a 10 goal victory over Sweden, Portugal is now a favorite and a contender for the semifinals. Are they really for real? Or can Iceland put those upstarts in their place and keep their hopes for a SF alive? Then Slovenia takes on Hungary. Which Hungary will show up? The team that dismantled Iceland or the team that was dismantled by Norway? Is Slovenia really the 2nd best team here? The nightcap features hosts Sweden taking on undefeated Norway. Still reeling from a 10 goal loss to Portugal can the hosts regroup for a big upset? Or, does Norway just keep rolling along?

So many questions. Let’s get some answers.

Betting Predictions

For this tournament we’re doing some betting predictions using an imaginary starting bankroll of a 1,000 Euros. Joining me will be professional handball bettor, Samo Košmerl, from Slovenia.

Odds are from the 10 Bet Sportsbook <Open an account>

John’s Pick(s):
– Current Bankroll: 673.94 Euros
– Yesterday’s Result: Spain (-5) vs Austria 1.86/-116; Bet 100 Euros to win 86.20 ; Lost Euros as Austria put up a good fight prior to losing 30-26.
– Today’s Pick: Money Line bet: Iceland (to win) vs Portugal 2.70/+170; Bet 100 Euros to win 170; When a team used to being the underdog becomes the favorite at some point there’s usually a bit of a let down. I think that let down comes down today in the form of an Iceland victory.

Samo’s Pick(s):
– Current Bankroll: 1,539.61 Euros
– Yesterday’s Results: Croatia (-1) vs Germany (-114/1.87); Bet 100 Euros to win 87.71; Result was a push thanks to Sego’s save to preserve a 25-24 Croatia victory.
– Today’s Pick: Sweden(+4) vs Norway (-119/1.84); Bet 100 Euros to win 84; Before the Euro started Sweden were 6/1 to win this Euro while Norway were 8/1. There is no doubt Norway is in much better form and are favorites today, but I think the bookies are overreacting a bit. Sweden is still a great team, there are two new players in the squad for today (Pettersson and Lagergren) and they are playing at home. I think it should be fairly close game.

2020 Men’s European Handball Championship “Spoiler Free” Links, Match Odds and Predictions (Saturday, 18 Jan)

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Domagoj Duvnjak and his Croatian teammates will take on Germany in a pivotal match today at 2:30 PM (US ET)

The 2020 Men’s European Handball Championships continues today with three matches from Main Round Group I. Here are the video links, odds and some predictions for those matches.

How to Watch Spoiler Free: Link

Saturday, 18 January
All Times Local (CET) / US ET is -6 hrs)
Odds courtesy of 10Bet <Open an account>

IHF Preview of day’s matches: Link

Main Round Group I (Vienna, Austria)

Current Standings

16:00 Belarus (-0.5) vs Czech Republic
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)

18:15 Spain (-5) vs Austria
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)

20:30 Germany vs Croatia (-1)
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)

Main Round Group I play continues in Vienna. First up is a match between two teams (Belarus and the Czech Republic) looking for their first Main Round win. Austria will then take on Group leaders Spain. And, then the night cap is the match of the day between Germany and Croatia. There are several matches left to be played, but the winner of this match will be in good shape to make the semifinals.

Betting Predictions

For this tournament we’re doing some betting predictions using an imaginary starting bankroll of a 1,000 Euros. Joining me will be professional handball bettor, Samo Košmerl, from Slovenia.

Odds are from the 10 Bet Sportsbook <Open an account>

John’s Pick(s):
– Current Bankroll: 773.94 Euros
– Yesterday’s Result:   Iceland (+1.5) vs Slovenia 1.82/-121; Bet 100 Euros to win 82.64; Lost 100 Euros Slovenia won 30-27.
– Today’s Pick: Spain (-5) vs Austria 1.86/-116; Bet 100 Euros to win 86.20; Spain has won every match by 6 goals or more in this tournament. Austria will have the home crowd behind them, but Spain are clearly the better team. I look for them to get a big lead to silence the crowd and then coast to victory.

Samo’s Pick(s):
– Current Bankroll: 1,539.61 Euros
– Yesterday’s Results: Race to 30 goals; Norway 2.45/+155; (Norway scores 30 goals first) Bet 200 Euros to win 290. Win 290 Euros; Norway scored 36 goals on its way to a 36-29 win that wasn’t even that close.
– Today’s Pick: Croatia (-1) vs Germany (-114/1.87); Bet 100 Euros to win 87.71; This a huge game and the winner will be super close to a semifinal. But, I think we have clear favorite here and it is Croatia. Their back line is just amazing, Cindric is in great form and I think they are better on every position, except GKs. But, Šego is not bad and if he has an okish day I think Croatia will collect 2 super important points today.

EHF Euro Now on Free TV in the U.S. (beIN Sport XTRA)

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2020 Euro Handball Now on Free TV in the U.S!

beIN Sports USA is now showing matches from the 2020 EHF Men’s European Championship on its free sports channel, beIN Sports XTRA. This new channel that was recently launched is available on Roku and “over the air” in several U.S. cities.

How to Watch on Roku

To watch on your Roku, go to your home screen and look for the “Roku Channel” icon. It’s a streaming channel just like Netflix or Hulu and should be readily available. (If not, you can add it just like you would any other channel.) Click on the Roku Channel icon and then scroll down until you see “beIN Sports XTRA” icon. Click on it and the channel should start playing. It’s live so, there are commercials just like what you would see on a TV channel.

So, why might you watch beIN Sports XTRA instead of ehfTV?: Well, your experience may vary, but my picture is crystal clear HD. Not to mention, no HDMI cable and laptop hook up.

How to Watch Over The Air

The Roku channel is also available “Over the Air” on the following digital channels in these cities. Yes, many of us are used to our cable/satellite options, but in these cities you can switch your TV input to Digital and watch over the air in HD.

beIN Sports XTRA 2020 EHF Euro Schedule

All Times are US ET

Friday, 17 January
9:45 Slovenia vs Iceland
12:00 Norway vs Hungary
14:15 Portugal vs Sweden

Sunday, 19 January
8:00 Portugal vs Iceland
12:15 Norway vs Sweden

Monday, 21 January
9:45 Portugal vs Slovenia
12:00 Norway vs Iceland
14:15 Hungary vs Sweden

Wednesday, 22 January
9:45 Portugal vs Hungary
12:00 Norway vs Slovenia
14:15 Iceland vs Sweden

Friday, 24 January
11:45 Semifinal 1
14:15 Semifinal 2

Sunday, 26 January
12:15 Final

2020 Men’s European Handball Championship “Spoiler Free” Links, Match Odds and Predictions (Friday, 17 Jan)

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Main Round Group II play starts in Malmo. Thanks to Denmark’s early exit Sweden should have a solid home crowd behind them. Can it propel them to the Finals in Stockolm?

The 2020 Men’s European Handball Championships continues today with the first matches of Main Round Group II. Here are the video links, odds and some predictions for those matches.

How to Watch Spoiler Free: Link

Friday, 17 January
All Times Local (CET) / US ET is -6 hrs)
Odds courtesy of 10Bet <Open an account>

IHF Preview of day’s matches: Link

Main Round Group II (Malmo, Sweden)

Current Standings

16:00 Slovenia (-1.5) vs Iceland
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)

18:15 Norway (-4.5) vs Hungary
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)

20:30 Sweden (-3) vs Portugal
Match Video (On Demand): Link (Commentary: Paul Bray)

Main Round Group II starts today with pre-tournament favorites Denmark and France… at home thanks to Hungary and Portugal, respectively. The day’s action starts with Slovenia (now a slight favorite to make the semifinals) facing Iceland. Norway (now the Group favorite) faces giant killers, Hungary. Sweden, which suffered an earlier loss vs Slovenia, also now has realistic dreams of reaching the semifinals and takes on Portugal.

Betting Predictions

For this tournament we’re doing some betting predictions using an imaginary starting bankroll of a 1,000 Euros. Joining me will be professional handball bettor, Samo Košmerl, from Slovenia.

Odds are from the 10 Bet Sportsbook <Open an account>

John’s Pick(s):
– Current Bankroll: 873.94 Euros
– Yesterday’s Result: Alternate point spread; Germany (-3.5) vs Belarus 2.1/+110; Bet 100 Euros to win 110 ; Won 110 Euros as Germany dominated the match from start to finish for a 31-23 victory. Sometimes it just seems all too easy.
– Today’s Pick: Iceland (+1.5) vs Slovenia 1.82/-121; Bet 100 Euros to win 82.64; In preliminary play Iceland beat Denmark (31-30) and Russia (34-23) and seemed well on their way to another win vs Hungary… Then a disastrous 2nd half saw them score only 6 goals and they loss 24-18. I think that was just an erratic blip and Aron Palmarsson will come back in fine form today. Slovenia took 3 wins in Group play, but I think their group was weaker. At best this game should be a pickem. I’ll take the Slovenia and the bonus 1.5 goals.

Samo’s Pick(s):
– Current Bankroll: 1,249.61 Euros
– Yesterday’s Results: Czech LW, Jakub Hrstka (under 3.5 goals) (1.76/-130); Bet 100 Euros to win 76.92. Win 76.92 Euros as Hrstka scored only 1 goal.
– Today’s Pick: Race to 30 goals; Norway 2.45/+155; (Norway scores 30 goals first) Bet 200 Euros to win 290; Norway have the best attack at the moment and their transition from defense to offense is really amazing. I just don’t see how can Hungary stop them. Sagosen is in great form and this young team from Hungary will have a lot of problems in defense today. Sipos is only playing in defense and this will hurt them as there just won’t be enough time to get him on the cour. Norway should score 30+ today.

2020 Men’s European Handball Championship “Spoiler Free” Links, Match Odds and Predictions (Thursday, 16 Jan)

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Main Round play starts in Vienna: The Czech Republic suffered a 17 point loss two years ago to Spain. Can they fare better this time around.

The 2020 Men’s European Handball Championships continues today with the first matches of Main Round Group I. Here are the video links, odds and some predictions for those matches.

How to Watch Spoiler Free: Link

Thursday, 16 January
All Times Local (CET) / US ET is -6 hrs)
Odds courtesy of 10Bet <Open an account>

IHF Preview of day’s matches: Link

Main Round Group I (Vienna, Austria)

Current Standings

16:00 Spain (-6.5) vs Czech Republic
Match Video (Live): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)

18:15 Croatia (-3.5) vs Austria
Match Video (Live): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)

20:30 Germany (-2.5) vs Belarus
Match Video (Live): Link (Commentary: Clayton Lucas)

Main Round Group I starts today with the pre-tournament favorites (Spain, Germany and Croatia) all favored to pick up wins. Spain is hugely favored over the Czech Republic, but Croatia could get a strong challenge from hosts, Austria, in Vienna. Belarus has also played well so far in the tournament and it will be interesting to see how they fare against a German side that struggled a bit in the preliminary round.

Betting Predictions

For this tournament we’re doing some betting predictions using an imaginary starting bankroll of a 1,000 Euros. Joining me will be professional handball bettor, Samo Košmerl, from Slovenia.

Odds are from the 10 Bet Sportsbook <Open an account>

John’s Pick(s):
– Current Bankroll: 763.94 Euros
– Tuesday’s Result:   Czech Republic (-2.5) vs Ukraine; Wager 100 Euros to win 82.64; Won 82.64 Euros as the Czech Republic pulled away at the end for a 23-19 win.
– Today’s Pick: Alternate point spread; Germany (-3.5) vs Belarus 2.1/+110; Bet 100 Euros to win 110; Germany was unimpressive in the preliminary round and they are a more capable side than they’ve shown. A better defensive performance should lead to a comfortable win.

Samo’s Pick(s):
– Current Bankroll: 1,172.69 Euros
– Tuesday’s Results:
Bet 1: Switzerland’s Marvin Lier under 3.5 goals scored (+100/2.0) Bet 100 Euros to win 100; Lier scored 3 goals- Win 100 Euros
Bet 2: Blaz Janc under 4.5 goals scored (-120/1.83); Bet 100 Euros to win 83.33; Janc scored 4 goals- win 83.33
Bet 3: Poland-Sweden; Over 54.5 goals (-114/1.87); Bet 100 Euros to win 87.71: Final score: SWE 28 – POL 26 for 54 goals. Lose 100 Euros
– Today’s Pick: Czech LW, Jakub Hrstka (under 3.5 goals) (1.76/-130); Bet 100 Euros to win 76.92; It will be very interesting to see the Czech attack against this great defense that Spain is playing. I don’t think they will be successful today as they didn’t convince me in the preliminary round where they played against average teams. Spain will be on different level and I don’t see Hrstka scoring 4 goals.